Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-08-15
DAILY HERALD.
OUR ST. PETERSBURG LETTER.
Am AngelenO ON His Travels
Notes of the City of the Czars.

GRAND HOTEL D'EUROPE,
ST. PETERSBURG, July 26, 1887.
EDITORS HERALD: A few words
about the Russian capital from wan
dering Angelefio, might interest your
readers. Few Americans realize the
grandeur and magnificence of the city
Of the Czars, as Russia has been until
lately quite outside the lines of gen.
eral American travel in Europe. As
one approaches the city on the river
Neva he sees before him vast level
expanse of houses, among which gilt
ter in the sunlight many golden domes
relieved by towers and minarets. The
massive facade of the Winter palace
is seen on the right, and near it the
graceful, gilded spire Of the Admiral
ty. To right and left tower palaces
and domed churches. Surely this is a
capital. After landing our wondering
American is hurried through the
streets in little drosky, driven by a
cabman dressed in old Muscovite
style.
This costume, which is general
throughout Russia, consists in long
blue or black gown with queer black
hat. looking somewhat as one OF our
high silk hats would look if sat upon
and gently reduced to one-third its
height. These droskies are a great
feature there, numbering ten thous-
and and generally driven furiously
through the streets. Perhaps the
most remarkable sight of the city is
st. Isaac's Cathedral. In many re-
spects it is more impressive than st.
Peter's at Rome. Its gigantic portico
is supported by Monolithic columns of
red granite and the immense doors are
of sculptured bronze. The interior is
gorgeously decorated with gold and
precious stones. Probably the most
remarkable feature of the interior is
the great pillars Of malachite and
lapislazuli. The mosaic pictures are
especially noteworthy. One picture
is nearly covered with gold to the
weight of thirty-two pounds.
The Kazan Church is also superb,
and contains the greatly venerated
picture,of the Virgin Of Kazan, which
is ornamented with five million rou-
bles worth of diamonds. The For
tress Church of SITS. Peter and Paul
contains the tombs of all the Roman
off Emperors from Peter the Great.
Here we saw the tombs of the late
Emperor and Empress covered with
fresh flowers, and each surmounted
by a golden crown in which light is
kept continually burning. This NOR
tuary church is kept superbly decor
ated in gold and precious stones, after
the Russian style. As for palaces,
they here abound as real estate offices
do in the angelic city. The Winter
Palace is sometimes inhabited by
seven thousand people. The Emperor
has also three or four other palaces in
the city. The original palace of Peter
the Great is preserved as it was when
he died.
3t. Petersburg being flat city,
sPringing into existence as by magic,
is free from all defects as to plan. The
streets are broad and straight, the
parks and plazas many and the build
ings grand and brightly painted. The
Nevsky Prospect, the Broadway OF st.
Petersburg, is one-third wider than its
New York rival and in some respects
. grander thoroughfare. The streets
are picturesque in color owing partly
to the architecture and in part to the
paintings which adorn the store
fronts setting forth the goods for sale
within. On the islands around the
city are miles of marks and gardens.
-embowering stately villas and pretty
cottages. There are also numerous
open air theaters and concert gardens.
Thither the denizens of the imperial
city throng in summer and gay and
beautiful indeed are the island envi-
rons at this season. Here one can
drink the Russian tea with slice of |
lemon in it or perchance the more
invigorating Vodki, with flowers and
music as accompaniments. But space |
will not permit longer letter.
j. f. B.